Rotary engine.



No. 776,431. PATENTED NOV. 29, 1904. I. SEVERANGE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIOATION FILED DBO.1'7. 1903.

m.) MODEL. 2 snms-snsm 1.

WITH/E8858. N INVENTOR Q Jim Div prance PATENTED NOV. 29, 1904.

I. SEVERANGE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED DBO.17, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEBT 2,

N0 MODEL.

INVENTOR fla/D rj'aizce WIT/1158858:

ATTORN UNITED STATES Patented November 29, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 776,431, dated November29, 1904.

Application filed December 17, 1903. Serial No. 185,512. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRA SEVERANCE, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State ofMinnesota, have invented a new and Improved Rotary Engine, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a newand improved rotaryengine which is simple and durable in construction, very effective inoperation, and arranged to allow convenient reversing to insure apositive working of the valves in unison with the rotary motion of thepiston and to providea continuous action of the motive agent underinitial pressure on the piston-heads without the usual cut-off for eachrevolution of the piston.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations ofthe same, as Wlll be more fully described hereinafter and then pointedout in the claims.

A practical embodimentof the invention is represented in theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in whichsimilar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the improvement. Fig.2 is a transverse section of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, andFig. 3 is a similar View of the same on the line 3 3 of Fig. l.

The cylinder A is preferably made in two parts bolted or otherwisefastened together,

and the cylinder is formed with a bore A for the piston B to rotate inand with one or more annular working chambers A into and out of whichslide the piston-heads O, mounted to slide radially in suitable bearingsformed in the piston B. As shown in the drawings, four such workingchambers A are provided and spaced from each other, and in each workingchamber two piston-heads C are caused to operate, the piston-heads beingdisposed diametrically; but I do not limit myself to the number ofworking chambers in a single cylinder nor to the number and arrangementof the piston-heads C in each working chamber, as the same may be variedwithout deviating from the spirit of my invention.

The piston-heads G for each working chamher A are pivotally connected bya pitman D with a shaft F, held stationary within a longitudinal centralrecess B, formed in the piston B, so that when the piston rotates thepiston-heads C are caused to slide radially in the piston B in and outof the corresponding Working chamber A The stationary shaft F is securedat its ends on spider-wheels F and F fitting loosely in the recess B,and the spider-wheel F is provided with a central post Fiextehdingthrough ahub B formed on an end plate B bolted or otherwise fastened toone end of the piston B. The outer end of the post F is attached tobraces F", secured to the cylinder A, so as to hold the post F and thespider-wheel F and consequently the shaftF and spider-wheel F,Stationary for the purpose above mentioned.

The piston B is provided at its right-hand end with an end plate B,carrying the main shaft B, journaled in suitable bearings carried on thecylinder A. A pulley G is secured on this shaft B for transmitting therotary motion of the engine to other machinery. The piston B is alsoprovided with annular ridges B, projecting slightly into the workingchambers A as will be readily understood by reference to the left-handside of Fig. 1, and the top of each ridge B abuts against the under sideof a packing-plate H, held adjustably in the corresponding workingchamber by set-screws H, as wiilbe readily understood by reference toFigs. 1 and 3.

By the arrangement described the piston B at the ridges B andthe'packings H forms an abutment, and adjacent to the side edges of eachpacking H are formed channels A and A, opening intothe working chamber Aat opposite sides of the piston, and into the upper ends of the saidchannels A and A lead pipes I and J, connected by branch pipes I and Jwith a steam-supply pipe K, connected with a boileror other supply andprovided with a valve K for regulating the amount of steam passingthrough the pipe K to the pipe I or J, as hereinafter more fullydescribed. The pipes I and J are also connected by branch pipes 1 and J2 with a general exhaust-pipe L for carrying off the exhaust-steam.

In order to direct the motive agent into either of the channels A or A,according to the direction in which the piston B is to rotate, I provideat the junction of the branch pipes I and J with the supply-pipe K avalve N, adapted to connect the supply-pipe K with either of the branchpipes I or J. Each of the valves N is provided on its valvestem N with asprocket-wheel N and the several sprocket-wheels N are engaged by asprocket-chain N passing around a sprocketwheel N held on a shaft Njournaled in suitable bearings and carrying a hand-wheel N under thecontrol of the operator. When the latter turns the hand-wheelN, a rotarymotion is given to the shaft N and the sprocket-wheel N* to cause atraveling of the sprocket-chain N so that the several sprocket- Wheels Nare turned simultaneously and with the same the stems N and valves N forthe latter to connect the supply pipe K with either of the branch pipesI or J, according to the direction in which the hand-wheel N is turned.I/Vhen the valves N are in the position indicated in the drawings, thenthe supply-pipe K is connected with the branch pipes I, so that themotive agent passes into the pipes I and by way of the channels A intothe working chamber A of the cylinder A. During the time the valves Nare in this position the supply-pipe K is cut ofl to the branch pipes J.

In the branch pipes I and J are arranged valves 0 and O for connectingor disconnecting the pipes I and J with or from the exhaust-pipe L-thatis, the valve 0 closes the pipe L to the pipe I at the time the valve Nconnects the supply-pipe K with the branch pipe I; but during this timethe pipe J is connected by the valve 0 and branch pipe J 2 with theexhaust-pipe L.

In order to reverse the valves 0 and O simultaneously with the valves N,the stems O and O of the valves 0 and O are provided With crank-arms Oand O connected with the sprocket-wheels N so that when the latter areturned the stems Q and O and the valves 0 and O are correspondinglyturnedthat is, in unison with the valves N. The motive agent passinginto the working chamber A by Way of the pipe I and channel A acts onthe corresponding piston-head C, so as to impart a rotary motion to thepiston B to rotate the latter in the direction of the arrow (0. Thechannels A and A are of such a length that when one piston-head C in aworking chamber A has passed the lower end of the channel A then theother piston-head C is about to open the channel A* at the lower end toallow the steam in the rear of this piston-head C to escape from theworking chamber A by way of the channel A* and the pipes J, J and L. 7

By the arrangement described it Will be seen that the motive agent, suchas steam, will act on a piston-head C during the major portion of onerevolution of the pistonunder initial boiler-pressure to insure apowerful ac tion of the engine. Thus from the foregoing it will be seenthat a continuous action of the motive agent under initialboiler-pressure on the piston-heads is had without requiring the usualcut-off valves for each revolution of the piston.

It will further be seen that by connecting the piston-heads C With thestationary shaft F a positive sliding motion is given to thepiston-heads in unison with the rotation of the piston B, so that theouter ends of the said piston-heads are always in firm contact With theinner peripheral surfaces of the working chambers A for the steam to acton the piston-heads in the manner above described.

When it is desired to reverse the engine, it.

is only necessary for the operator to turn the hand-wheel N to reversethe several valves N, O, and 0, so that the motive agent now passes fromthe supply-pipe K by way of the branch pipes J, pipes J, and channel Ainto the working chamber A at the opposite side of the piston B, so thatthe motive agent in acting on the piston-heads C turns the piston Binthe inverse direction of the arrow a. The exhaust motive agent in therear of the pistonheads C passes out of the working chambers A by way ofthe channel A pipes I, branch pipes I and exhaust-pipe L. If desired,the valved branch pipes I J 2 may be directly connected with thechannels A A instead of by way of the pipes I and J.

In order to render the engine steam-tight, suitable packings areemployed wherever necessary-for instance, packing-rings P are usedbetween the cylinder-heads and the end plates B and B* of the piston,and the said packingrings are adjustable by suitable set-screws P, asindicated in Fig. 1. Packings Q are also placed in the bearings for thepiston-heads C in the piston B (see Fig. 3) to prevent leakage of steampast the piston-heads into the central recess B, the latter beingpreferablyfilled with a suitable lubricant to insure an easy running ofthe engine. Packings are also provided for at the outer ends of thepiston-heads C, so as to prevent leakage of steam from one side of thepiston-head to the other in the working chamber A Having thus describedmy invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. Arotary engine comprising a cylinder having on its inner surface aplurality of eccentric grooves forming working chambers, each groove orchamber being provided with inlet and exhaust channels, connected withthe supply and exhaust of the motive agent, a piston of a diameter tofit the bore of the cylinder and mounted to turn therein, said pistonhaving a central longitudinal recess, and radial openings, a pluralityof piston-heads sliding in the radial openings of the piston IIO and inandout of each of the said grooves or chambers, stationary means Withinthe said piston-recess, and devices for connecting the said stationarymeans With the said pistonheads, to impart a positive motion to thepiston-heads on the rotation of the piston, as set forth.

2. A rotary engine comprising a cylinder having an eccentric Workingchamber provided With inlet and exhaust channels, connected With thesupply and exhaust of the motive agent, a piston mounted to turn in thecylinder and having a central recess, pistonheads sliding in the pistonand in and out of the said Workingchamber, stationary means Within thesaid piston-recess, consisting of a shaft, spider-Wheels carrying theshaft, a post on one of the spider-Wheels and extending to the outsideof the piston and cylinder and braces for attaching the post to thecylinder, and devices for connecting the said stationary meanswith thesaid piston-heads, to impart a positive motion to the piston-heads onthe rotation of the piston, as set forth.

3. A rotary engine comprising a cylinder having on its inner surface aplurality of eccentric grooves forming Working chambers, each groove orchamber being provided With an inlet and an exhaust, a piston of adiameter to fit the bore of the cylinder and mounted to turn in thesame, said piston being in contact at one point with the said grooves orWorking chambers to form an abutment between the inlet and exhaust ofeach of said grooves or chambers, piston-heads slidable in the saidpiston and in and out of each of the said Working chambers, a shaft heldstationary in a central recess in the piston, and pitmen connecting thepiston-heads with the said shaft, as set forth.

4. A rotary engine comprising a cylinder having on its inner surface aplurality of eecentric grooves forming Working chambers, each groove orchamber being provided With an inlet and an exhaust, a piston of adiameter to fitthe bore of the cylinder and mounted to turn in the same,said piston forming an abutment between the inlet and the exhaust ofeach groove or chamber, the piston having a central longitudinal recessand radial openings, a plurality of diametrical piston-heads mounted toslide radially in the radial openings of the said piston and in and outof each of the said grooves or chambers, ashaft held eccentrically inthe said piston-recess, spider- Wheels carrying the said shaft, a poston one of the spider-Wheels and extending loosely through the piston tothe outside of the cylinder, means for holding the post in a fixedposition, and pitmen connecting the said piston-heads with the saidshaft, as set forth.

5. A rotary engine comprising a cylinder having a plurality of Workingchambers, each provided with inlet and exhaust channels, a pistonmounted to turn in the cylinder and provided with annular ridgesprojecting into the Working chambers, inlet and exhaust pipes connectedwith the said channels and provided with reversing-valves under thecontrol of the operator, diametrical piston-heads mounted to slideradially in the said piston and in and out of each of the said Workingchambers, stationary means Within a central recess in the piston, and aconnection between the stationary means and each piston-head, to causethe latter to slide on rotation of the piston, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

IRA SEVERANGE. Witnesses:

CHARLES L. SAWYER, J L. No'r'r.

